Woohoooo!! After a long time searching, I finally got a great kitchari (kitch-a-dee or kitch-a-ree) recipe from one of my fellow Ayurvedic students.
I love kichidi is because it’s wonderfully easy to digest, it’s a great source of protein because of the mung dal and itt’s a complete food. It’s excellent for detoxification and de-aging of cells and it’s used particularly when fasting or doing a cleanse like panchakarma (five actions, cleanse). Kitchari nourishes all the tissues of the body, so it is a favorite of mine when I am feeling a bit “off”. A few days of kitchari and my digestion and mind return to their normal state – it feels so good! Like true nourishment.
Okay so! Here is a recipe I concocted (kitchari is a hodge-podge…there’s lots you can do ) tonight:
1 cup mung dal/moong dahl, split yellow lentils
1/2 cup basmati rice
3 cups water
3 tablespoons of ghee
1 inch piece of fresh ginger (root), peeled, chopped up well
1 tsp ajwan seeds (caraway)
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp tumeric
Optional veggies, pick 2: 1 cup chopped fresh green beans, carrots, peas, cauliflower
Ok! First, wash the mung dal and the rice really well. Wash & strain, wash & strain. Then heat the water til it boils. Throw in the mung dal & rice. Cover. Turn heat down to low. While that’s going, crush the three seeds (ajwan, fennel & cumin). In another pan, heat the ghee on medium and add the ginger, seeds, tumeric, cinnamon sticks – it should smell really good! If you are adding veggies, add them to the spices once the spices are roasted.
When the water is no longer covering the mung dal & rice…but you still know there is 1/2 water in the pot, add the spices and veggies. Stir. Cover. Turn on low heat and cook until all water is absorbed. Tadaaaa! Serve with ghee and you can add a little salt. mm!
Kitchari has many many variations. If you have high pitta, you can swap out ajwan for 2 tblsp. unsweetened coconut. You can also swap cumin for 1 small handfull of chopped cilantro leaves.
Or holler if you want recipes specifically for vata, pitta & kapha. I have them! Or for more Ayurvedic cooking, try this book by Dr. Lad.
7 responses so far ↓
1 nmartinyoga // Jun 10, 2009 at 9:07 am
hi do you have a kitchari receipe for pitta/kapha dosha?
2 Monica // Jun 14, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Hi! The pitta kapha balance can be achieved with the recipe above because it is tri-doshic. One thing, if it were spring (kapha season), use less ghee on the kitchari when serving. Ghee is great for pitta, but can be too oily for kapha especially in kapha season.
3 Shakti // Aug 12, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Wow, your kitchari’s recipe is so yummy ;-)
*Is it true that you can eat kitchari for few days to detox body ?
Tks so much Monica, I visited your site today for the first time….and I love it !!!
Shakti (pitta)
4 Monica // Aug 12, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Hi Shakti! Yes indeed. Kitchari can totally help detox the mind and body for a couple days. It’s used in panchakarma (full dosha detox) as the mono-diet for several days. It’s also used for rejuvenation after the cleanse.
If you are ever feeling “off,” a couple days on kitchari and you will feel like a new you. I do it every couple months and I love it.
One thing too, the ingredients are purely sattvic so our minds, bodies and souls are completely nourished.
I’m so happy you like the site – come back often!
5 Shakti // Aug 13, 2009 at 9:48 am
I thank you Monica for your answer.
I’ll try this mono-diet for a few days for sure.
Kitchari is like confort food :-)
I’ll come back often, you can be sure of it !
Namaste
6 Amy // Jul 27, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Loved your recipe–made it tonight for dinner. First Kitchari recipe that tasted right.
7 Monica // Jul 27, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Fantastic!! I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks for letting me know. Are you having it for lunch tomorrow too? ;)
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